Thank you Heavenly FATHER for another day of life and for the many undeserved gifts that you continuously provide to us so graciously. Send your HOLY SPIRIT to lead us in understanding your words this morning. Grant that we may feel you presence and surrender all our earthly concerns to your loving arms. In CHRIST name we pray. Romans 8:14-17
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Whenever I think of the HOLY SPIRIT I think of power. I’m sure I feel this way at least in part because of Pentecost. The arrival of the HOLY SPIRIT was nothing short of spectacular. There was wind and fire and everyone knew, even those that came in off the streets to see what was going on, that something awesome had occurred, something was different, things had changed. The followers were no longer confused or cowering in fear, in fact they exuded confidence, strength, and excitement! They instantly became bilingual and began to perform works of wonder. This was no ordinary event. This was the transfer of power from the CREATOR of the Universe into human hands.
This passage packs the power of Pentecost. In order for us to become more than HIS creations, in order to become heirs GOD became one of us using HIS royal blood to wash ours clean and most importantly to make us family! But HE was not finished. With the next gift, the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT we are transformed like Pinocchio from a wooden imitation of a child of GOD into the real thing! The connection is complete. The strings of the marionette are severed and we are free, no longer bound by fake wooden illusions of life but connected to the real deal, to the bigger picture, to eternity!
Think about this for a moment. This is a real reason to get excited. It’s like answering the door and the Publisher’s Clearinghouse people are on your front porch! With the HOLY SPIRIT comes the knowledge that we are not doomed! We are redeemed! In “Hook” my favorite movie version of the classic fairy tale Peter Pan there is a scene where Captain Hook has our hero Peter cornered with sword drawn and a just blow away from a frightening, horrible end. With an evil laugh and spiteful sneer he tells Peter to prepare for death. Peter responds with that boyish grin as though he knows something Hook will never grasp. “To die would be a great adventure”, he shouts without missing a beat. That’s what I’m talking about. That is what this passage is saying to me. We are connected by both blood and spirit to the ONE that controls it all and not as slaves but as his very own children. The HOLY SPIRIT is the power of ALMIGHTY GOD.
If you can, please close your eyes for a moment and just ask your FATHER to let you feel HIS SPIRIT inside you. HE has promised it is there if you ask and believe. Whatever is going on right now in your day or in your life just close your eyes for a few moments relax and feel the SPIRIT flowing within…….can you feel it?
Jim L.